590,5 

FI 

V, 10:2-16 

V. 12:1-8 

v.HM 

cop, 2 

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FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY 

PUBLICATION  228 
ZOOLOGICAL  SERIES  VOL.  XII,  No. 


TWO  NEW  BIRDS  FROM  PERU 


BY 
JOHN  T.  ZIMMER 

Assistant  Curator  of  Birds 


REPORTS  ON  RESULTS  OF 
THE  CAPTAIN  MARSHALL  FIELD  EXPEDITIONS 


WILFRED  H.  OSGOOD 
Curator,  Department  of  Zoology 

EDITOR 


CHICAGO,  U.  S.  A. 

May  20,  1925 


FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY 

PUBLICATION  228 
ZOOLOGICAL  SERIES  VOL.  XII,  No.  8 


TWO  NEW  BIRDS  FROM  PERU 


BY 

JOHN  T.  ZIMMER 

Assistant  Curator  of  Birds 


REPORTS  ON  RESULTS  OF 
THE  CAPTAIN  MARSHALL  FIELD  EXPEDITIONS 


WILFRED  H.  OSGOOD 

Curator,  Department  of  Zoology 

EDITOR 


CHICAGO,  U.  S.  A. 

May  20,  1925 


TWO    NEW    BIRPS    FROM    PERU 


BY   JOHN   T.    ZIMMER 


Further  study  of  the  birds  secured  by  the  Captain  Marshall  Field 
Peruvian  Expedition  of  1922*  has  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  two  addi- 
tional new  subspecies.  Since  a  final  report  on  the  collection  is  still  in 
abeyance,  it  seems  desirable  to  describe  the  new  forms  in  advance. 
Grateful  acknowledgement  is  due  to  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History  of  New  York  and  the  Museum  of  Comparative  Zoology  of 
Cambridge  for  the  loan  of  specimens  which  proved  of  service  in  de- 
termining the  relationships  of  the  species.  The  types  of  the  new  forms 
are  in  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History,  Chicago,  as  are  all  other 
specimens  not  otherwise  accredited.  The  names  of  colors  when  capi- 
talized indicate  direct  comparison  with  Ridgway's  "Color  Standards 
and  Color  Nomenclature." 

Synallaxis  azarae  infumata  subsp.  nov. 

Type  from  Chinchao,  Province  of  Huanuco,  Peru.  Altitude  5,700 
feet.  No.  54157  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History.  Adult  male. 
Collected  November  8,  1922  by  J.  T.  Zimmer;  original  number  3203. 

Diagnosis.  Closely  allied  to  typical  S.  a.  azarae  from  Bolivia  but 
darker  above,  more  grayish  on  the  back,  the  crown  deeper  in  tone  and 
the  forehead  darker  gray,  with  the  frontal  band  much  wider  (9.5-11 
mm.,  av.  9.8  as  against  6-7  mm.,  av.  6.6).  The  sides  of  the  head  and 
the  superciliary  line  are  darker  gray,  the  latter  without  any  white  except 
on  the  supra-loral  region  where  it  is  present  although  somewhat  ob- 
scured by  dusky  tips  to  the  feathers.  The  wing-patch  appears  to  be  paler 
than  the  crown.  Beneath,  the  color  is  about  as  in  azarae,  possibly  a 
little  darker  gray  on  the  breast  and  with  less  pure  white  on  the  ab- 
domen. The  throat  has  the  white  tips  to  the  feathers  less  pronounced, 
leaving  the  black  bases  more  exposed,  but  this  may  be  due  to  greater 
abrasion  in  the  specimens  examined.  The  shafts  of  the  middle  rectrices 
are  somewhat  blacker  than  in  azarae.  The  best  characters  appear  to 

*The  first  preliminary  report  on  this  collection  was  published  in  Field  Museum 
of  Natural  History  Publication  218,  Zool.  Series,  Vol.  XII,  No.  4,  pp.  48-67, 
April  19,  1924. 

103 


104   FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.  XII. 

be  the  broader,  darker  frontal  band,  the  lack  of  white  on  the  superciliary 
stripe  and  the  paler  wing-patch.  Compared  with  S.  a.  fruticicola 
from  Ecuador,  the  colors  are  very  much  darker,  the  superciliary  stripe 
is  gray  instead  of  buff,  and  the  frontal  band  is  distinctly  wider  (being 
5-7  mm.,  av.  5.9  in  fruticicola).  Compared  with  S.  a.  elegantior  from 
eastern  Colombia  and  Venezuela,  the  differences  are  about  as  with 
fruticicola  but  the  frontal  band  is  not  so  much  wider  in  proportion 
(being  7-9  mm.,  av.  8  in  elegantior}.  From  S.  a.  media  of  south- 
western Colombia,  the  present  race  is  separable  by  being  decidedly 
darker  throughout,  with  the  chin  and  throat  less  white,  the  breast 
deeper  gray  without  buffy  tinge,  the  flanks  olive  instead  of  buff,  the 
belly  gray  instead  of  white,  the  forehead  sooty  without  olivaceous 
tinge,  the  crown  deeper  rufous,  the  lores,  superciliary  stripe  and  sides 
of  head  darker,  etc.,  but  the  frontal  band  has  about  the  Same  width 
(being  8-12  mm.,  av.  9.8  in  media). 

Habitat.    Tropical  and  subtropical  valleys  of  central-northern  Peru. 

Description  of  type.  Forehead  between  Dark  Olive  Gray  and  Iron 
Gray,  forming  a  band  extending  posteriorly  to  the  middle  of  the  orbit 
(about  9.5  mm.  from  the  exposed  base  of  oilmen).  Crown  and  nape 
bright  Auburn.  Upper  back  Brownish  Olive;  rump  and  upper  tail- 
coverts  slightly  clearer  olivaceous.  Chin  and  throat  feathers  black  at 
bases,  tipped  with  white,  leaving  considerable  black  exposed.  Lores 
dull,  dark  gray  mixed  with  white.  A  broad  superciliary  stripe  the 
color  of  the  forehead.  Auriculars  and  sides  of  head  and  neck  between 
Deep  Neutral  Gray  and  Iron  Gray.  Breast  Neutral  Gray,  darker  on  the 
sides,  passing  into  Brownish  Olive  on  the  lower  flanks.  Center  of  ab- 
domen Pallid  Neutral  Gray.  Under  tail-coverts  Light  Grayish  Olive. 
Wings  dark  Fuscous;  remiges  edged  with  bright  Auburn  except  at 
their  tips;  tips  of  the  scapulars  and  all  of  the  upper  wing-coverts  (at 
least  on  exposed  portions)  pale  Amber  Brown,  distinctly  lighter  in 
color  than  the  crown ;  under  wing-coverts  Ochraceous  Buff ;  inner  mar- 
gins of  remiges  Vinaceous  Fawn.  Rectrices  eight,  in  color  between 
Auburn  and  Hazel,  shaded  with  olivaceous  at  the  base  and  on  the  outer 
webs  and  with  shafts  Blackish  Brown;  the  outermost  pair  dusky  olive 
without  rufous  tinge;  tail  graduated,  the  outermost  rectrices  a  little 
longer  than  the  under  tail-coverts;  feathers  acute.  Iris  chestnut; 
maxilla  black;  mandible  Slate  Color;  feet  about  Jade  Green.  Wing 
60  mm. ;  tail  103 ;  culmen  from  base  15.5,  exposed  12 ;  tarsus  21.5  ;  width 
of  frontal  band  9.5. 

Female :    Like  the  male. 


APRIL,  1925.     Two  NEW  BIRDS  FROM  PERU — ZIMMER.  105 

A  female  from  Molinopampa,  Peru,  is  not  typical  but  seems  to  be 
closer  to  this  form  than  to  fruticicola,  its  next  nearest  geographic  affini- 
ty. It  is  slightly  paler  than  typical  infumata,  with  an  ochreous  wash  on 
back,  breast  and  flanks,  but  is  darker  than  fruticicola.  The  frontal 
band  is  narrower  than  in  infumata  but  broader  than  in  fruticicola.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  the  approach  is  rather  toward  typical  azarae  than 
toward  fruticicola  but  the  distribution  of  the  various  races  does  not  in- 
dicate such  a  relationship.  Although  no  definite  characters  can  be  found 
to  favor  the  assumption,  the  specimen  has  an  indefinable  appearance  of 
immaturity  and  the  differences  from  typical  infumata  may  be  due  to 
this  cause. 

The  study  of  this  new  race  has  revealed  a  curious  and  interesting 
feature  in  the  development  of  the  tail.  The  type  specimen  has,  distinctly, 
only  eight  rectrices,  the  outermost  of  which  are  just  longer  than  the 
under  tail-coverts,  firmly  webbed  and  colored  unlike  the  remaining 
rectrices,  being  olivaceous  without  rufescence.  A  second  male  (from 
Huachipa)  is  exactly  like  the  type  in  this  respect.  A  third  male  (from 
Vista  Alegre)  also  has  only  eight  rectrices,  but  the  outermost  are  dis- 
tinctly longer  than  the  under  tail-coverts  and  proportionately  longer 
than  in  the  type.  In  addition,  on  each  side,  an  upper  tail-covert  aris- 
ing just  above  and  beyond  the  outer  rectrix,  in  close  proximity  to  it, 
is  bent  downward  and  inward  so  as  to  occupy  the  position  of  a  fifth 
outer  rectrix,  although  it  retains  the  form,  size,  and  somewhat  decom- 
posed texture  of  an  upper  tail-covert.  A  female  topotype  demonstrates 
a  condition  somewhat  farther  advanced1  in  which  the  supernumerary 
feather  has  more  definitely  assumed  the  role  of  outer  rectrix.  This 
feather  has  become  more  compact  or  firmly  webbed  and  is  flattened,  and 
when  it  is  pushed  around  the  tail  to  the  upper  surface  it  looks  dis- 
tinctly out  of  place.  It  is  not  noticeably  stiffened  and  its  point  of  origin 
is  still  slightly  above  the  line  of  the  adjacent  rectrices.  The  fourth 
rectrix,  in  its  turn,  has  lengthened  considerably  and  assumed  a  sug- 
gestion of  rufescent  tinge,  although  it  is  still  distinguishable  in  color 
from  the  rest  of  the  tail.  The  atypical  female  from  Molinopampa 
presents  a  still  more  advanced  stage  in  the  metamorphosis.  The  super- 
numerary feather  has  here  become  slightly  stiffened  and  projects  just 

JI  have  used  the  term  "advanced"  merely  as  a  means  of  describing  the  differ- 
ences that  exist  and  not  as  an  indication  of  the  actual  direction  of  development. 
There  is  nothing  to  show  whether  the  eight- feathered  forms  have  developed 
from  the  ten-feathered  or  the  reverse.  As  to  whether  the  eight- feathered  tail 
is  more  advanced  or  more  primitive  than  the  ten-feathered  one,  that  with  the 
smallest  number  of  rectrices  should  probably  be  considered  the  most  highly 
developed. 


io6   FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.  XII. 

beyond  the  under  tail  coverts  as  does  the  fourth  rectrix  in  the  type, 
while  the  fourth  quill  in  turn  extends  beyond  the  outstretched  feet  of 
the  bird.  The  latter  is  colored  more  like  the  remainder  of  the  tail  while 
the  fifth  quill  (as  it  has  undoubtedly  become)  is  still  unlike  the  others 
although  it  arises  directly  in  line  with  the  adjacent  rectrices. 

In  a  large  series  of  S.  a.  elegantior,  only  one  specimen,  a  male  from 
Conejos,  Venezuela,  exhibits  but  eight  rectrices ;  the  remainder  show 
ten  with  the  outermost  on  each  side  short,  concealed  by  the  under  tail- 
coverts  and  colored  like  the  upper  tail- coverts  whose  structure  they 
share  except  for  their  more  stiffened  and  enlarged  shafts.  One  speci- 
men of  fruticicola  and  two  specimens  of  media,  examined  in  this  regard, 
show  ten  rectrices  with  the  outermost  rather  more  developed  than  in 
any  of  the  elegantior. 

S.  f.  frontalis,  of  which  five  males  and  six  females  were  examined, 
appears  to  be  separable  from  the  entire  azarac  group  by  the  character 
of  the  outermost  rectrices.  There  are  ten  rectrices,  and  the  outermost 
are  unquestionably  definable  as  such,  and  can  not  be  confused  with  the 
tail-coverts.  They  are  much  longer  than  the  under  tail-coverts,  their 
shafts  are  heavy  at  the  base  and  much  stiffened,  and  their  webs  are 
firm,  while  their  color  is  identical  with  that  of  the  other  rectrices,  being 
rufescent  without  an  olivaceous  tint.  Two  males  of  5.  /.  juae,  includ- 
ing the  type,  agree  with  typical  frontalis  in  this  particular. 

On  the  other  'hand,  a  female  of  S.  superciliosa  appears  to  have  but 
eight  tail-feathers,  although  the  tail,  being  in  molt,  is  difficult  to  examine 
with  precision.  The  genotype,  6".  ruficapilla,  in  three  specimens  ex- 
amined, also  has  only  eight  rectrices,  with  the  outermost  hardly  more 
than  modified  tail-coverts  as  in  the  type  of  S.  a.  infumata.  Bertoni  in 
describing  his  new  subgenus  Barnesia1  with  the  type  6".  cururuvi 
(=ruficapilla) ,  apparently  confused  these  outer  rectrices  with  the  tail- 
coverts  since  he  particularly  noted  that  the  species  had  only  six  tail- 
feathers.  Presumably,  a  later  examination  showed  him  the  real  nature 
of  the  feathers  since,  in  a  subsequent  publication2,  he  announced  that 
Barnesia  had  eight  rectrices.  In  any  case  it  is  evident  that  the  genotype 
of  Synallaxis  has  but  eight  rectrices  while  certain  allied  species  have 
ten.  Generic  separation  of  two  groups  on  this  basis  is  rendered  im- 
possible by  the  present  new  subspecies,  5".  a.  infumata,  possessing  a 
definitely  intermediate  structure.  Dr.  Hellmayr  advises  me,  further- 
more, that  out  of  seventy-four  specimens  of  S.  unirufa  castanea  ex- 

'Aves  Nuevas  del  Paraguay,  p.  77,  1901. 
'Fauna  Paraguaya,  p.  52,  footn.  (3),  1914. 


APRIL,  1925.     Two  NEW  BIRDS  FROM  PERU— ZIMMER.  107 

amined  by  him,  seventy-two  had  eight  rectrices  and  two  had  ten.  It 
is  entirely  possible  that  a  critical  study  of  other  species  may  show  a 
transition  toward  the  existence  of  twelve  rectrices  in  place  of  ten, 
although  I  have  seen  no  tendency  in  that  direction  in  any  of  the  ma- 
terial I  have  handled. 

Specimens  examined: 

S.  a.  azarae — Bolivia :  Incachaca  2  $  2  9  a.  Peru :  Santo  Do- 
mingo 6  $  . 

S.  a.  elegantior — Colombia:  (Bogota)  I  9  ;  Chipaque  2$  i  9a, 
Choachi  i  ?a;  Paramo  de  Tama  2  $  .  Venezuela :  Conejos 
I  $  ;  Culata  5  $  ;  Durainos  i  $  ;  Escorial  6  $  i  9  ; 
Mechisera  3  $  ;  Nevados  2  $  ;  Sierra  de  Merida  i  9  ; 
Valle  3  $  . 

S.  a.  fruticicola — Ecuador :  Alamor  2  $  a ;  Celica  2$  I  9  a ; 
Guayinche  I  5  a ;  Hoyaucshi  i  9  ;  Loja  i  $  ? ;  Naranjo 
i  $  a ;  Salvias  i  $  a ;  Zaruma  i  $  i  $  i  ?a. 

S.  a.  infumata — Peru:  Chinchao  1$  (Type)  2$  ;  Huachipa 
i  $  ;  Molinopampa  (atypical)  I  9  ;  Vista  Alegre  i  $  . 

S.  a.  media — Colombia :  El  Eden  i  $  a ;  Laguneta  2  S  a ;  Salento 
i  $  a ;  Valle  de  las  Papas,  Huila  i  S  a. 

5".  /.  frontalis — Argentina :  Ocampo  i  $  ;  Sarmiento  i  $  .  Bra- 
zil :  Chapada,  Matto  Grosso  i  9  ;  Macaco  Secco  2539; 
Sao  Marcello  i  9  ;  Serro  Baturite  i  $  i  9  . 

S,  f.  jitae — Brazil:  Jua  2$    (incl.  Type). 

.S.  ruficapilla — Brazil :  Macieiras  i  $  a ;  Monte  Serrat  I  ?  a ; 
Ypiranga,  Sao  Paulo  i  ?. 

6*.  superciliosa — Argentina :  San  Pablo  i  9  *. 

Cyclarhis  gujanensis  saturatus  subsp.  nov. 

Type  from  Cullcui,  Maranon  River,  Peru.  Altitude  10,400  feet. 
No.  54106  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History.  Adult  male.  Collected 
December  13,  1922  by  J.  T.  Zimmer;  original  number  3300. 

Diagnosis.  Similar  to  C.  g.  contrerasi  but  somewhat  larger  and 
richer  in  tone  of  coloration.  The  throat,  breast  and  sides  of  the  face 
are  deeper  yellow  and  the  color  spreads  farther  posteriorly  over  the 
breast  where  it  is  distinctly  tinged  with  olive,  especially  on  the  sides. 

a.  Specimens  in  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  New  York. 


U.  OF  ILL  LIB. 


io8    FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.  XII. 

The  chin  is  narrowly  white ;  the  flanks  and  abdomen  are  strongly  suf- 
fused with  deep  ochraceous  except  on  the  middle  of  the  latter  where 
the  color  is  soiled  white.  The  back  is  darker  green  than  in  contrerasi 
and  the  chestnut  of  the  crown  extends  farther  backwards  over  the  nape. 

Habitat.  Temperate  valley  of  the  upper  Maranon  River,  north- 
central  Peru. 

Description  of  type.  Center  of  crown  and  occiput  Serpentine 
Green,  the  feathers  margined  and  tipped  with  Auburn;  the  rest  of  the 
entire  top  of  the  head  and  neck  Auburn,  becoming  paler,  approaching 
Sanford's  Brown,  on  the  nape;  a  narrow  line  of  Auburn  continued 
beneath  entirely  around  the  orbit;  lores,  except  for  the  circumocular 
line,  paler,  ochraceous.  There  is  a  short  but  distinct  line  of  pale  brown 
extending  posteriorly  from  the  base  of  the  mandibular  ramus  and  sep- 
arating a  small  whitish  malar  spot  from  the  whitish  chin.  Throat, 
auriculars  and  sides  of  the  neck  are  rich  golden  yellow,  nearest  Lemon 
Chrome,  passing  into  Pyrite  Yellow  on  the  sides  and  approaching  that 
hue  in  the  center  of  the  breast ;  the  color  extended  broadly  posteriorly. 
Flanks  rich  Cinnamon  Buff;  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  somewhat 
paler,  the  upper  abdomen  whitish  in  the  middle.  Back  Warbler  Green ; 
rump  slightly  paler.  Exposed  webs  of  upper  wing-coverts  like  the 
back;  concealed  portions  blackish.  Primaries  and  secondaries  with 
exposed  outer  webs  slightly  paler  than  the  back;  inner  margins  of 
inner  webs  Pale  Lemon  Yellow.  Tertials  like  the  back  but  duller. 
Under  wing-coverts  Pale  Lemon  Yellow;  axillaries  between  Lemon 
Yellow  and  Lemon  Chrome.  Iris  Empire  Yellow;  maxilla  Verona 
Brown ;  mandible  Dark  Green-Blue  Slate,  tip  whitish ;  legs  and  feet 
near  Light  Vinaceous  Cinnamon.  Wing  86  mm. ;  tail  72 ;  oilmen  to 
base  20,  exposed  17;  tarsus  26. 

Adult  female:    Like  the  male. 

Immature  female:  Distinguishable  from  the  adults  of  both  sexes 
by  having  the  auburn  on  the  top  of  the  head  restricted  to  the  forehead 
and  the  lateral  portions  where  it  forms  a  broad  superciliary  stripe, 
leaving  the  center  of  the  crown,  occiput  and  nape  uniform  with  the  back, 
without  rufous  margins.  The  rectrices  are  narrower  toward  the  tips 
and  more  sharply  pointed  than  in  the  adults,  and  the  bill,  in  the  speci- 
men examined,  is  somewhat  less  hooked  at  the  tip. 

Like  C.  g.  contrerasi,  this  subspecies  (in  the  adult  plumage)  is  dis- 
tinguishable from  C.  g.  virenticeps  by  having  the  green  of  the  crown 
restricted  to  the  discs  of  the  feathers.  In  the  immature  plumage  this 


APRIL,  1925.     Two  NEW  BIRDS  FROM  PERU — ZIMMER.  109 

difference  is  not  apparent,  but  the  immaturity  of  a  specimen  and  its 
consequent  value  for  comparison  may  be  determined  by  the  condition 
of  the  tips  of  the  rectrices1. 

I  am  disposed  to  place  the  present  form,  together  with  contrerasi 
and  virenticeps,  under  C.  gujanensis,  hitherto  considered  to  be  a  dis- 
tinct species,  on  the  evidence  exhibited  by  a  specimen  of  contrerasi  in 
the  Museum  of  Comparative  Zoology  (No.  79898),  taken  at  Huanca- 
bamba,  Peru.  In  this  example,  the  fore  part  of  the  crown  is  decidedly 
grayish  although  there  are  fine  rufous  edges  to  the  feathers,  the  nape 
is  tinged  with  gray,  the  fore  part  of  the  auriculars  is  gray  and  the  yel- 
low chest-band  is  quite  narrow.  The  specimen  seems  to  represent  a 
distinct  transition  between  contrerasi  and  gujanensis,  both  of  which 
occur  in  northern  Peru,  the  former  toward  the  west  and  the  latter 
toward  the  east. 

Specimens  examined: 

C.   g.   contrerasi — Ecuador :    Loja    i  $  a.      Peru  :  Huancabamba 
2  ?  b ;  Perico  I  9  b ;  Tabaconas  I  $    imm.b. 

C.  g.  gujanensis — Brazil :    Manaos  i  9  . 

C.  g.  saturatus — Peru:    Cullcui,  Maranon  River   i  $     (Type) 
i  $    ad.  I  $    imm. 

C.  g.  virenticeps — Ecuador :     Chone    2  $  a ;    Guayaquil    2  $  a ; 
Zaruma  i  $  a. 

JThe  specimen  recorded  by  Bangs  and  Noble  (Auk,  35,  p.  458,  Oct.  1918)  as 
virenticeps  from  Tabaconas,  Peru,  proves,  on  examination,  to  be  an  immature 
contrerasi.  The  tips  of  the  Vectrices  are  narrowed  toward  the  tip  and  nar- 
rowly pointed  and  the  lower  mandible  is  just  beginning  to  assume  the  slaty 
blue  color  at  the  base  as  found  in  the  adults. 

a.  Specimens  in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  New  York. 

b.  Specimens  in  the  Museum  of  Comparative  Zoology,  Cambridge. 


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